Introduction

Britain has a long and honourable tradition of respect for human rights. This is, after all, a country that gave birth to the Magna Carta and enshrined the concept of habeas corpus.

Why is it then, that the subject of human rights and, specifically, the Human Rights Act of 1998, in force for almost a decade, gives rise to such anger among many people, where it is variously condemned as a "villains' charter" or the worst example of what is commonly termed "political correctness"?

This paradox lies at the centre of the recent landmark report of an inquiry set up by the Equality and Human Rights Commission which, 10 years after the act's inception, set out to examine the effectiveness of the legislation and how much the culture of human rights it upholds has become established among the public services.

This microsite looks in depth at the report itself, how it reflects the working of the act and its key conclusions, drawing extensively on the large pool of information gathered during the inquiry.

We examine how the act places responsibilities and obligations on the public sector and how those running public services on a day-to-day basis – in hospitals, care homes, schools and police stations – are responding to its central message of human rights for all. There are several cases where the act and its influence have led to change, sometimes in surprising ways.

We look back at the act's origins, and look forward to the future charted by the inquiry. We also examine how the different political parties are committed to change, and suggest the process that began with the Magna Carta still has some way to go before it is complete.